Chapter 5
1207 Words
Maya didn’t wake up slowly.
Her eyes opened, and she was just… up.
No grogginess.
No lingering in bed.
Just awake.
The room was dim, early morning light barely pushing through the curtains. For a second, she lay there staring at the ceiling, listening to the quiet of the house.
No movement.
No voices.
Just the low hum of something running in the distance.
Then her eyes shifted to the nightstand.
The flyer sat there.
Unfolded.
Like it had been waiting for her to wake up.
Maya stared at it for a long moment.
Her chest didn’t tighten this time.
Didn’t twist.
The feeling from last night—the questions, the tension, her mom’s voice—
It had all settled into something else.
Something steadier.
Decision.
She sat up.
Picked the flyer up.
Looked at it one more time.
Then folded it carefully.
Not rushed.
Not emotional.
Just… done.
⸻
The house was already moving by the time she stepped into the kitchen.
Zion sat at the table, half awake, scrolling on his phone while eating cereal. Nia was talking—about what, Maya couldn’t tell yet—but it sounded important to her.
Denise stood at the stove, already dressed, already put together.
Like last night never happened.
Like nothing had shifted.
“Morning,” Maya said.
Denise glanced over her shoulder.
“Morning.”
Same tone.
Same calm.
Maya watched her for a second longer than usual.
Waiting.
For something.
But it didn’t come.
Denise turned back to the stove.
“Your coffee’s over there.”
Maya nodded and walked over, grabbing the mug.
Zion didn’t look up.
“Morning,” he muttered.
“Morning.”
Nia turned immediately.
“Mama, I had a dream—”
“Teeth brushed?”
“Yes.”
“Face washed?”
“…Yes.”
Denise glanced over. “She lying.”
“I am not!”
Maya took a sip of her coffee.
“You got five seconds before I go check.”
Nia slid out the chair so fast it scraped.
“I’m going!”
Zion snorted.
Maya shook her head slightly, watching her run off.
Normal.
Everything felt normal.
Too normal.
Maya leaned against the counter, coffee in hand, eyes drifting to her mom again.
Denise didn’t look back.
Didn’t bring it up.
Didn’t acknowledge anything from last night.
It was like that conversation had been placed in a box and shoved somewhere deep.
And that—
That confirmed everything.
Maya spoke without looking at her.
“I’m taking a few days off.”
Denise flipped something in the pan.
“From the shop?”
“Yeah.”
“For what?”
Maya shrugged slightly, even though her mom couldn’t see it.
“Clear my head.”
A pause.
Not long.
But there.
Denise nodded once.
“Alright.”
That was it.
No follow-up.
No suspicion in her voice.
But Maya knew her.
She knew that wasn’t agreement.
That was acceptance without approval.
Zion finally looked up.
“You going somewhere?”
“Maybe.”
“Where?”
“Don’t worry about it.”
“I wasn’t worried,” he muttered, going back to his phone.
Nia came back, breathless.
“I did it!”
Maya gave her a quick once-over.
“Good.”
Denise slid a plate onto the table.
“Eat.”
⸻
By late morning, Maya was already moving.
Not rushing.
But not hesitating either.
She stood in her room, staring at her closet for a second before pulling out a duffel bag from the top shelf.
Set it on the bed.
Zipped it open.
Then started packing.
Jeans.
Hoodies.
A couple shirts.
Nothing fancy.
Nothing unnecessary.
Just enough.
Her movements were steady.
Focused.
Like she had already run through this in her head before her body caught up.
Her phone buzzed on the bed.
She picked it up.
Dialed.
It rang once.
Twice.
Then—
“Auntie?”
“Aaliyah, where you at?”
“Home. Why?”
“I need you and Jaz.”
“For what?”
“To watch the house for a few days. Feed the dog. Make sure nothing stupid happens.”
Aaliyah paused.
“…You going somewhere?”
“Yeah.”
“Where?”
Maya zipped the bag halfway.
“Out.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“It’s the one you getting.”
Aaliyah sighed.
“You always do that.”
“And you always still help me.”
Another pause.
Then—
“Aight. When you leaving?”
“Tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?” Aaliyah’s voice sharpened. “You don’t plan nothing ahead?”
“I just did.”
“That’s not planning, that’s announcing.”
Maya smirked slightly.
“You coming or not?”
“Yeah, we coming. I’ll bring Jaz.”
“Good.”
She hung up before more questions came.
⸻
The shop was quieter than usual when she got there.
Carla was behind the counter, restocking something, music playing low through the speakers.
She looked up when Maya walked in.
“You look like you ain’t sleep.”
“I slept.”
“Mm.”
Carla didn’t believe her.
Maya walked past her, setting her bag in the back.
“I’m gonna be gone for a few days.”
Carla blinked.
“…What?”
“I need you to hold it down.”
“For a few days?” Carla straightened. “Since when?”
“Now.”
“Maya.”
“I’m serious.”
Carla studied her face.
“You good?”
“Yeah.”
“Don’t lie to me.”
Maya leaned against the counter.
“I’m not lying. I just… need to go handle something.”
Carla crossed her arms.
“This about yesterday?”
Maya didn’t answer.
That was enough.
Carla exhaled.
“You going back there, ain’t you?”
Silence.
Then—
“Just for a few days.”
Carla shook her head slowly.
“I don’t like that.”
“I know.”
“But I got you,” Carla added quickly. “You know that.”
“I do.”
Carla pointed at her.
“You call me. Every day.”
“I will.”
“And don’t go doing nothing stupid.”
Maya gave a small smirk.
“No promises.”
“I’m serious.”
“I know.”
Carla looked at her one more second.
Then nodded.
“Aight.”
⸻
By the time Maya got back home, everything was already set in motion.
Her bag sat packed.
Her phone had a confirmation screen pulled up.
Ticket booked.
Time set.
She sat on the edge of her bed, staring at it.
At the departure time.
At the destination.
A place she hadn’t said out loud in years.
Her chest felt… steady.
Not calm.
Not nervous.
Just locked in.
She reached into her bag and pulled the flyer out one more time.
Looked at it.
Then tucked it into the side pocket.
Zipped it closed.
Outside, she could hear Nia laughing.
Zion saying something under his breath.
Denise moving through the house like she always did.
Normal.
All of it.
Maya stood up.
Looked around her room one last time.
Then turned off the light.
Tomorrow—
she was going back.
- Writer
